Question

"Custodial death is perhaps one of the worst crimes in a civilised society governed by the Rule of Law". In which case supreme court made this remark,

• A. A.K. Gopalan V/s. State of Madras
• B. M.C. Mehta V/s. Union of India
• C. D.K. Basu V/s. State of Bengal
• D. Visakha V/s. State of Rajasthan

Hint:

Associate landmark cases with the guidelines they produced. For example: D.K. Basu -> Guidelines on Arrest; Vishaka -> Guidelines on Sexual Harassment at Workplace; Common Cause -> Guidelines on Passive Euthanasia.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify the landmark Supreme Court case in which the quoted observation about custodial deaths was made. This observation highlights the severity of state-sponsored violence against individuals in its custody.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
The Supreme Court made this powerful remark in the case of D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal (1997). This case is a landmark judgment on the issue of custodial violence, custodial deaths, and the rights of an arrested person. The Court expressed grave concern over the rising incidents of torture and deaths in police custody and noted that such acts are a gross violation of fundamental rights, particularly Articles 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) and 22 of the Constitution.
To curb this menace, the court issued a set of 11 mandatory guidelines (often called the 'D.K. Basu guidelines') to be followed by the police and other arresting agencies during arrest and detention.

Step 4: Final Answer:
The remark about custodial death being one of the worst crimes was made by the Supreme Court in the case of D.K. Basu v. State of Bengal.